Temporary binder.



No. 775,099. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

H. E. WENDLAND.

TEMPORARY BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. 1904 NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904s PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. \VENDLAND, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TENG- ALL FILE & LEDGER CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS.

TEMPORARY BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,099, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed February 15, 1904. Serial No. 193,610- (NO OdBl) To all w/wnl, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. \VENDLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Temporary Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to temporary binders used for binding together a number of loose leaves by means of impaling-prongs mounted upon binding members hinged together and movable to and from each other to bring the prongs into a retaining position or to separate them forthe removal of the leaves mounted thereon, said invention referring more particularly to a latch mechanism or means for locking said movable members in the closed position.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a simple and neat latch mechanism which is self-locking as the moving members upon which its parts are mounted are brought into the closed position, to provide a latch mechanism easily accessible and readily operated and yet in an out-of-the-way position on the binder, and in general to provide a cheap and convenientlatch mechanism for temporary binders of the character referred to.

The invention will be readily understood from the drawings, in which Figure l is an open perspective view of a binder embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, and Fig. I is afragmentary view showing the latch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate, respectively, two back or binding members hinged together in a usual manner and each provided with impaling-prongs 3, upon which the looseleaves are to be placed. Secured to the back or binding members 1 and 2 in any of the well-known ways are the covers 4 and 5.

The latch mechanism which constitutes the subject-matter of the present invention comprises the plate 6, securely fastened by riveting or otherwise to one of the back or binding members so as to extend across the joint and overlie the other binding member, a notched stud or strike 7, formed or mounted upon the free end of said plate 6 so as to project through an aperture 8 in one of said binding members when said members are in the closed position, and a flexible latch member 9, mounted upon one of said back or binding members and secured thereto at one end so that it projects by and partly in register with said aperture and having formed on the outer end thereof a thumb-knob 10, by means of which said latch is flexed out of register with said aperture. The end of the stud or strike 7 is so shaped that as it passes through the aperture 8 it engages the latch member 9 sufficiently to flex it, and the continued movement of said stud or strike through said aperture brings the notch of the strike into position to allow the return of the flexed latch member, which springs into said notch, and thereby prevents its withdrawal or the opening of the binding members until the latch member 9 is flexed by pressure upon the thumb-knob 10. The thickness of said latch member is preferably just sufficient to fit between the hook or lip portion of the strike and the binding member, so as to preventlost motion and hold the parts in close locked relation.

The above-described construction affords a very neat and convenient and a very desirable arrangement for a temporary binder. The back strips are composed of angle pieces hinged together so that their remote flange members stand parallel to each other when the binder is in closed position. The latch member is bent upwardly at the end of one of the angle-pieces and formed into a thumb-piece which extends adjacent to and parallel with the upturned flange of the back member and within and flush with the end of the cover members. This positionof the thumb-piece enables the user when opening the binder to grasp between the thumb and finger the thumb-piece and the adjacent upright flange member of the back strip, the latter of which forms a rest or holding means to prevent lateral movement of the binder while flexing the latch member. Thus with a simple pinch between the thumb and finger the latch is released and the binder allowed to open. In closing the binder the back strips are moved together upon the hinge and the latch automatically locks them together in closed position in the manner hereinbefore described.

I claim 1. In a temporary hinder, the combination with hinged binding members, of a latch mechanism for locking said binding members in closed position, comprising a member rigid with one of said binding members and extending across the joint between said binding members and overlying the other binding member, a stud or strike upon the free end of said member adapted to pass through an aperture in said other binding member and a latch member upon said latter binding member adapted to engage said strike to prevent its withdrawal and the opening of said bind ing members.

2. In a temporary hinder, the combination with hinged binding members, of a latch mechanism for automatically locking said binding members in closed position, comprising a member rigidly mounted upon one of said binding members and overlying the joint between said binding members, a stud or strike rigid upon the free end of said member and adapted to pass through an aperture in the other of said binding members, and a flexible latch member mounted upon said latter binding member adjacent said aperture and auto matically engaging said stud or strike as it passes through said aperture, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a temporary binder having rigid back strips composed of angle members hinged together, a locking mechanism comprising a strike member secured flatwise upon the flange of one of said back members and extending across the hinged joint and overlying the flange of the other member, a latch-hook upon the free end of said strike member registering with and entering a corresponding aperture in the subjacent flange, and a spring-latch arranged beneath said apertured flange and adapted to engage said latch-hook.

4. In combination with a temporary binder having rigid back strips composed of anglepieces, the members of which are at right angles to each other and hinged together so that the remote members of said angle-pieces extend parallel with each other when in normal position, a locking mechanism comprising a strike member secured flatwise upon theflange of one of said back members and eX tending across the hinged joint and overlying the flange of the other member, a latch-hook upon the free end of said strike member registering with and entering a corresponding aperture in the subjacent flange, and a springlatch arranged beneath said apertured flange and adapted to engage said latch-hook, said spring-latch being provided with a thumbpiece bent at right angles upwardly and standing between the planes of the parallel flanges of the back members, substantially as described.

HENRY E. WENDLAND. Witnesses:

C. 0. BROWN,

JAMES W. RANsoN. 

